bciskepottery Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 Any of these on your show schedule?http://www.today.com/travel/americas-best-christmas-markets-2D11724100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancylee Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 I just bought an ornament from a Brooklyn potter at the Union Square fair in NYC a few weeks ago. Some nice stuff, along with import crap,. Only one potter I saw, lots of handcrafted jewelry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEP Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 I have walked through the DC Downtown Holiday Mart. Too much low-priced imported stuff, with long lines of people buying it. Meanwhile, the handcraft vendors looked cold and lonely with no customers. I decided to pass on applying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 Mea's reply is the number ONE lesson for choosing shows. Go see the show for yourself if you can possibly do so. An article like this one points out places that are super cute to shop at ... not the ones where you will be freezing your buns off while people walk past you to get to the imported, low cost stuff. Sunshine Artist is a better print choice for deciding blind on a show. If it says they accept 'Buy/Sell' you can almost always cross it off the list. It is always awful to sit around a show and watch people sprint past your booth with foot long bubble gum and wooden 'Santa Stop Here' signs ... and boy, were those two making a bundle that weekend!! I did not. The potter across from me did not. The painter beside me did not. The hand made paper person did not. The show wins because they get to advertise being hand made crafts, the artists lose because they are almost always 'too expensive' for that particular crowd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay lover Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 unfortunately, I have often found that the same show that insists that you must ONLY BRING HAND MADE will then let in 'made in China' crap. I previewed a show last weekend that has a strict hand made policy statement on their vendor application, but there was imported, buy -sell stuff everywhere. I asked management about it, and they looked at me like I had made up their requirements. The woman insisted that there was nothing imported there, and I showed here the stickers on the bottom of a pieces that said 'made in China'. She turned her back on me and walked off. Big show with a 43 year history. ????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 The woman insisted that there was nothing imported there, and I showed here the stickers on the bottom of a pieces that said 'made in China'. She turned her back on me and walked off. Big show with a 43 year history. ????? "How DARE the craftspeople question the show management. The arrogance of them. They are lucky we let them come here to sell their stuff. Let that idiot blather on.... there are plenty more where they came from." The craft fair is dead. Long live the craft fair. best, .......................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 That is not unusual ... I used to be part of the jurying system for a handmade only site and it is incredible how hard it is to find the spot to draw the line. If you import the cheap greenware then paint on it is it still handmade? How about if you import cheap silk scarves then batik a bit and sew on your labels by hand? Or photographers fighting about what can be called original and what to do about mass produced copies printed in China? Or cheap beads imported and strung on wire ... How much original handwork does one need to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay lover Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 I would have thought a paper sticker with 'Made in Chine' would be an easy answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 16, 2013 Report Share Posted December 16, 2013 NO none are on my schedule. Not at all interested in any of them. I'm not looking for new shows or more shows. Especially x-mas markets Very happy with the shows I have-It takes time to build a customer base and I have already put that into my shows and am now reaping the benefits . I would agree that import shows are very bad for real artists in same venue.I suggest avoiding them. If your making christmas items maybe some of these would work for you. I'm not making anything but functional items which sell well year around. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted December 16, 2013 Report Share Posted December 16, 2013 I would have thought a paper sticker with 'Made in Chine' would be an easy answer. You would think that ... but no. They will claim they did something to it to make it "hand made". I guess if you unpack the box that could be doing something to it by hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted December 16, 2013 Report Share Posted December 16, 2013 What's the old saying....... "Money talks, nobody walks." best, .......................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyH Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Selling at rennasaince fairs you get similar issues-research your materials and techniques, the show contract will often specify period clothing, down to your shoes, and when you set up, the "fairy glitter" fake tattooist is right next door. And across the way is a guy in a rayon kimono selling plastic swords and horned helmets. I won't get into the variety of garments the customers have decided are appropriate- but it stretches the boundaries to breaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 A better heading on this topic may be (top shows to avoid) or pain and punishment Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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